IBM enables Web-based design for ASIC customers

EAST FISHKILL, N.Y.  IBM Microelectronics this week will roll out an interactive, Internet-based chip design system for its ASIC customers. The system lets users download IBM software and work with IBM engineers in a Web-based collaborative environment.

The design environment is being offered to selected customers through the IBM Edge e-business portal at www.ibm.com/edge. It supports offerings from IBM's Blue Logic ASIC design system, including the Cu-11, SA-27E, SA-27, SA-12E, SA-12 and 5SE lines. A Java-capable Web browser lets users collaborate and share desktops with IBM engineers. The company is not offering any third-party EDA software through the environment, but is providing its own software and technical documentation online.

Real-time collaboration

"In ASIC design, where a customer might do the front end and IBM might do the back end, there's a lot of to and fro of information," said Anirudh Devgan, manager of IBM Microelectronics' e-business initiative for custom logic design. "This Internet design environment will make it easier for customers to do business with us."

Devgan said that IBM will make libraries, models and proprietary ASIC design software available with the system. While third-party EDA vendors provide most of the tools needed for ASIC design, IBM has some specialized software in areas such as timing, physical design and test, which ASIC designers will be able to download from the Edge portal and run behind their own firewalls.

The real-time collaboration capability will simplify customer support, Devgan said. "Later on, we intend to provide more seamless passing of netlist and other design data," he said.

Separately, IBM has also expanded its e-business offerings for its PowerPC processors. The company is working with existing sites such as www.TechOnline.com and www.design-reuse.com to provide online development, remote evaluation, testing resources and training materials.